Parasites and worms in humans can be the cause of intestinal discomfort, bloating
gas and chronic constipation.
Parasites can also infest the skin, in cases of
scabies and the scalp in cases of ringworm.

Anthelmintic herbs are used
in herbal remedies to treat intestinal worms, often combined with laxatives.
Problems arise when these herbs are overused, the harder the herb is on internal
parasites, the harder it is on the body. Herbs containing thujone, such as wormwood and tansy, can
be toxic if overdosed. Gentler herbs like garlic and agrimony are
much safer, and have fewer side effects, but generally take longer to work.

Take an infestation of parasites seriously, and consult a qualified health practitioner, do not attempt to use home treatments for worms if you are pregnant.

Agrimony contains the chemical compound agrimophol, which expels parasites. Agrimony is gentle and Tonic to the digestive system.

Black walnut hulls offer safe worm intervention, but is not intended for chronic or long term use. Avoid herbal remedies including both heartwood and hulls.

Butternut can be employed as a vermifuge. The expressed oil of the fruit removes tapeworm.

Elecampane treats parasitic infections, including roundworm, hookworm, whipworm and threadworm and the plant has long been used externally for scabies, herpes and other skin diseases from which it gained its country name scabwort.

garlic is safe and effective used over time power to kill roundworm, pinworm, tapeworm, and hookworm. Add to pets food in small amounts. Goldenseal combines well with garlic as an anti-parasitic treatment

Oregon graperoot and goldenseal both contains berberine, which acts against the parasites Entamoeba bistolytica and Giadia lamblia.

While it is less reliable than the more toxic remedies such as male fern
( Aspidium filix-mas) pumpkin
seed has the great advantage of being entirely safe. 200 - 400 g of unpeeled
pumpkin seeds can be ground to a porridge like consistency and mixed with
milk and honey. This is given on an empty stomach in the morning in two portions.
Two to three hours later castor oil is taken. This is important for pumpkin
seeds only paralyses the tapeworm and do not kill it. (Weiss,
Rudolf Fritz M.D.)

Tansy, like the classic dewormer wormwood, contains thujone, a powerful tool in the hands of a trained professional for expelling round-worm and threadworm. Tansy is of doubtful value as a worm treatment and is not without risk. Thujone is hard on the host as well as the parasites and toxic to the central nervous system if taken in too large doses or for too long.

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Maud Grieve. "Modern Herbal Volume 2" Harcourt, (1931) Tansy was largely used for expelling worms in children, the infusion of 1 OZ. to a pint of boiling water being taken in teacupful doses, night and morning, fasting. Note: Most modern herbalists warn against its use by laymen. The active constituents are toxic in large doses.

James Duke. "The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook" Rodale Books, (2000) Traditional uses of Chaparral include parasitic infections, but the herb can cause adverse effects on the liver. Internal use is no longer recommended

Linda B. White, M.D.. "The Herbal Drugstore" , (2003) Safe and effective taken over time, garlic's power to kill roundworm, pinworm, tapeworm, and hookworm has been confirmed by scientific studies.

Proteolytic enzymes in papaya work to remove intestinal worms and other parasites. The primary use of papaya leaf is that of a vermifuge, it contains tannins that the fruit does not, helping to protect against reinfection.,

Richard Mabey. "The New Age Herbalist" Fireside, (1988) Alantolactone in elecampane expels worms and the plant has long been used externally for scabies, herpes and other skin diseases from which it gained its country name scabwort. p48

Richard Mabey. "The New Age Herbalist" Fireside, (1988) Tansy, like wormwood, is rich in thujone which is potentially damaging to the central nervous system if taken in too large doses or for too long. However, in the hands of a trained herbalist it is useful for expelling worms (round-worm and threadworm). p51

Agrimony contains the chemical compound agrimophol, which expels parasites. Tonic to the digestive system, agrimony is a useful remedy for healing peptic ulcers and for controlling colitis. The bitter principles in the plant regulate the function of the liver and gallbladder. ,

Maud Grieve. "Modern Herbal Volume 2" Harcourt, (1931) Butternut is a mild cathartic like rhubarb; it does not constipate and is often used as a habitual laxative, also for dysentery and hypatic congestions. It has been employed as a vermifuge and is recommended for syphilis and old ulcers. The expressed oil of the fruit removes tapeworm.

** Information on the traditional uses and properties of herbs are provided on this site is for educational use only, and is not intended as medical advice. Every attempt has been made for accuracy, but none is guaranteed. Many traditional uses and properties of herbs have not been validated by the FDA. If you have any serious health concerns, you should always check with your health care practitioner before self-administering herbs. **